Weighing scale



Nov. 5, 194s. H. o. HEM 12,410,653

' WEIGHING SCALEy l Filed March 25, 1944 s sheets-sheet 2 Ll l I am;

25 Y INVENTOR.

Hd/VOP 0 Hem El 'Z- BY g WQ/W -ATTozeNm/s NOV. 5, 1946. Q, HEM 2,410,653

n WEIGHING `scALE Filed March 25, 1944 s sheds-sheet 5' INVENTOR. Afa/yor' 0. Hem

ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 5, 1946 lVVEIGG SCALE Halvor O. Hem, Toledo, Ohio, assgnor to Toledo Scale Company, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of New Jersey Application March 25, 1944, Serial No. 528,082l

8 Claims.

This invention relates to weighing scales and in particular to a weighing scale adapted to automatically determine the horizontal projection of the center of gravity of a load placed thereon.

It has been customary when experimentally determining the center of gravity of an object to support the object on two or more scales and to calculate the position of the center of gravity from the distribution of weight as indicated by the several scales and the geometrical relationship of the points of contact of the object on the scales.

The object of this invention is to provide a single platform Weighing. scale which is adapted to automatically indicate the horizontal projection of a vertical plane containing the center of gravity of the load on the platform.

Another object of this invention is to provide a lever mechanism which will automatically indicate a ratio between two weights or forces.

More specific objects and advantages are apparent from the following description in which reference is made to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure I is an elevation of a weighing scale embodying the invention as installed in a pit. The front wall of the pit has been broken away to reveal the lever mechanism.

Figure II is a plan view of the scale shown in Figure I.

Figure III is an elevation at an enlarged scale of the load indicating mechanism and the load ratio determining levers.

Figure IV is a vertical section taken substantially along the line IV-IV of Figure III.

Figure V is a vertical section through the movable fulcrum traversing mechanism taken substantially along the line V--V of Figure III.

Figure VI is a vertical Isection of the traversing mechanism taken substantially along the line VI-VI of Figure V.

Figure VII is a vertical section taken substantially along the line VII-VII of Figure V.

Figure III is a fragmentary view of the movable fulcrum as seen from the line VIII-VIII of Figure V.

These specific drawings and the accompanying description merely illustrate a structure embodying the invention but do not deiine the limits of its adaptability or usefulness. Y A load receiving platform l comprising a deck H secured to girders l2 is supported on parallel link suspensions i3 and i4 resting on load pivots l5 and I6 of substantially A-shaped main levers l1 and I8. The A-shaped levers I1 and I8 are (Cl. 'i3-65) of the rst order and are fulcrumed on stands i9 and 29 respectively. Power pivots 2| and 22, located near the apexes of the A-shaped levers i? and i8, transmit upward forces proportional to the loads supported by each end of the platform through connections 23 and 24 to reversing levers 25 and 29 fulcrumed near the bottom of stands 2 and 28. The downward pull of power pivots 29 and 39 of the reversing levers 25 and 26 relspectively is transmitted through stirrup and link connections 3l and 32 to load pivots 33 and 34 of a iioating lever 35. Other pivots, axially in line with the load pivots 33 and 34 of the floating lever 35, by means of connections 36 and 31 are pivotally connected to load pivots 38 and 39 mounted in counterbalancing. levers 45 and 4l. The counter-balancing levers 40 and 4l, which are fulcrumed near1 the tops of stands 21 and 28, are of the lirst order and are provided with load pivots d2 and 43 carrying suspended counterweights 44 and 45.

The floating lever 35 through a greater portion of its length is machined to form a generally I-shaped cross section wherein the top and bottom flanges are parallel and of constant'width. A saddle 45 is tted around this I-shaped cross section and adapted to slide along its length. A pair of trunnions il and 58 extending laterally from the sides of the saddle 45 are carried in ball bearings 49 and 59 seated in horizontal bores near the top of a movable iulcrum stand 5l thus forming a movable fulcrum for the oating lever 35. The fulcrum stand 5l is mounted to slide in ways 52 provided in a base 53 extending substantially parallel to the iloating lever 35. The base 53 is supported on a platform 54 of a conventional weighing scale 55.

The movable fulcrum stand 5| is driven along the base 53 by a lead screw 56 which is rotated by a motor 5l mounted at one end of the base 53. The lead screw 56 is journaled at each end of the base 53 and is threaded through a collar 58 secured in the fulcrum stand 5l. The floating lever 35 is prevented from partaking of the motion of the fulcrum stand 5| by a rack and gear structure including a rack 59 mounted on the floating lever 35 with its pitch line lying in the pivot plane of the lever 35.

The rack 59 is operatively connected through a pair of gear wheels 6!! and 6l mounted on horizontal shafts 62 and 63 to a rack 64 attached to the base 53. In this arrangement the motion of the iulcrum stand 5I with respect to the base 53 rotates the gears 6l and 69 and the rotation of the gear 60 drives the rack 59 and with it the oating lever 35 through the saddle 46 to maintain the position of the lever 35 with respect to the base 53. Because the pitch line of the rack 59 and the gear 60 lie in the pivot plane of the lever 35, which also includes the center line of the trunnions 41 and 48, the forces exerted 'between the rack 59 and the gear 6D do not materially affect the sensitivity of thelever 35. The ratio of the lever 35, as determined by the position of the saddle 46 containing the fulcrum for the lever 35, is indicated by indicia 55 inscribed on a scale 66 attached to the base 53. An index 6l mounted on the fulcrum stand 5| cooperates with the indicia 65.

Forces applied to the lever1 systems by loads placed on the platform I are divided according to the location of a load on the platform. Thus if the center of gravity of the load is disposed directly above the center of the platform the forces applied to the end levers IT and I8 are equal. However, if the load is not so disposed and the center of gravity does not lie over the transverse center line of the platform the forces applied to the lever systems are inversely proportional t0 the distances between the horizontal projection of the center of gravity and the pivots l and IB. The forces from the load are transmitted through the lever systems to the iloating lever 35 and tend to unha-lance it as well as draw it downward. The downward force, proportional to the Weight of the load, is transmitted through the fulorum stand 5l and the base 55 to the weighing scale 55. The unbalance between the forces, as transmitted through the levers il and IB, caused by the center oi gravity of the load being displaced from the center of the platform tends to rotate the lever 35 about its fulcrum in the stand 5I. This rotation is limited by stops 68 and 68 mountedin a bracket 'l5 erected from the base 53. One or the other of a pair of electrical contacts li, mounted on the bracket are also closed depending upon the direction of rotation of the floating lever 35. These contacts control the motor 5l and cause it to rotate the lead screw thus mowing the fulcrum stand 5| in such direction as to rebalance the floating lever 35. When such balance is attained the lengths of the segments of the iioating lever 35 between its fulcrum and the pivots 33 and 34 are in direct proportion to the distances between the horizontal projection of the center of gravity of the load and the load pivots I5 and l5. For this to be true it is necessary that with no load on the platform l0 there'shall be no forces either upward or downward between the floating lever 35 and its fulcrum. Therefore, the counterweights 44 and 45 are of such magnitude that they Counterbalance the weight of the lever 35 and the forces due to the dead weight of the platform i5 and the lever systems. Thus the only force applied tothe fulcrum stand 5l, regardless of its position along the lever 35,.,is that produced by a load on the platform l and the ratio of the arms 35 to maintain `ecniilibrium must be inversely proportional to the load carried by each end of the platform l5.

Indicia 12 inscribed upon the platform lo are enlarged replicas of the indicia 65 on the scale 65 adjacent the path of travel of the fulc'rum stand 5I. The ratio of enlargement is the ratio of the length of the lever 35 to the span between the load pivots I5 and I5. Thus, the position of the fulcrum stand 5l as indicated on the scale 66 when transferred to the indicia 12 determines ves 4 a vertical plane through the center of gravity of the load. f

By rotating the load with respect to the platform and rebalancing the lever 35 by moving the fulcrum stand 5l, a second plane through the center of gravity of the load is determined. The intersection of these two planes denes a vertical line through the center of gravity of the load.

The total weight of the load exerts a downward force proportional to the load on the fulorum stand 5| which is transmitted through the fulcrum stand, the base 53 and platform 5d to a supporting lever system (not shown) of the weighingv scale 55. The force from the lever system is transmitted through a nose iron 73, a stirrup 'I4 and steelyard rod 'l5 to a load pivot 1E mounted in a tare beam lever 'Il which is fulcrurned on bearings 18 mounted in an enlarged portion of a column 19 of the weighing scale 55. A power pivot 8E! of the tare beam lever l1 is pivotally connected through a linkage 8| to a pendulum lever 82 fulcrumed lin bearings 53 mounted on the inside surface of the rim of a substantially watchoase-shaped housing 84 surmounting the column '15. A power pivot 85 of the pendulum lever 82 is pivotally connected through a stirrup 86 and rod 8l to a yoke 88. From the arms of the yoke 58 a pair of flexible metallic ribbons extend upwardly and at their upper ends overlie and are attached to arcuate surfaces of pendulum bodies 9|. The pendulum bodies 9| are suspended from the sides of a pendulum frame 92 by other ilexible metallic ribbons 93 attached to the upper end of the frame 92 and to the lower ends of arcuate surfaces 94 of the pendulum bodies 9|. Because of the difference in radii of the arcuate surfaces 90 and 94, any downward forces applied to the ribbons 89 cause the pendulum bodies 9i to roll up the sides of the frame 92. This upward motion is transmitted through compensating bars 95 and rack 96 to a pinion '91 mounted on and rotating an indicator shaft 58 on which is mounted an indicator 99 adapted to sweep over an annular chart |00. The indicator 59 cooperates with indicia ll printed on the annular chart to indicate the magnitude of the load.

Thus the operator by merely reading the scale 66 and the position of the indicator 99 on the chart I D0 has both the location of the vertical plane through the center of gravity and the weight of the object.

If it is desired to merely compare two forces, i. e. to obtain the ratio between them without determining their actual value, the weighing scale 55, the load receiving platform l0 and the lever systems between the load supporting platform l0 and the floating lever I35 may be eliminated thus leaving the floating lever 35, its fulcrum stand and means for moving it and the counterweights for carrying the weight of the lever 35.

The forces are then applied to the ends of the lever 35 and the fulcrum stand moved to obtain equilibrium. When such equilibrium is obtained the segments of the lever 35, either side of its fulcrum, will be in inverse proportion to the forces applied to the ends of the lever. In this form this substructure may be used in numerous ways for maintaining or determining the ratio between unknown forces.

The structure disclosed may be modified to meet specic conditions without departing from the scope of the invention.

Having described the invention, I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, in combination, a load receiving platform, a separate lever system for supporting each end of said platform, a floating lever connecting said lever systems, a fulcrum for said floating lever mounted on and movable along a base parallel to said flotaing lever, a counterbalance for each of said lever systems for relieving said fulcrum of all forces exclusive of the force produced by a load on said platform, and means for moving said fulcrum to keep said floating lever in equilibrium.

2. In a device of the class described, in combination, a load receiving platform, a separate lever system for supporting each end of said platform, a floating lever connecting said lever systems, a fulcrum for said floating lever mounted on and movable along a base parallel to said floating lever, a counterbalance for each of said lever systems for relieving said fulcrum of all forces exclusive of the force produced by a load on said platform, means for moving said fulcrum to keep said floating lever in equilibrium, and means for indicating the position of said fulcrum.

3. In a device of the class described, in combination, a load receiving platform, a separate lever system for supporting each end of said platform, a floating lever connecting said lever systems, a fulcrum for said floating lever mounted on and movable along a base parallel to said floating lever, a counterbalance for each of said lever systems for relieving said fulcrum of all forces exclusive of the force produced by a load on said platform, automatic means for moving said fulcrum to keep said floating lever in equilibrium, and means for indicating the position of said fulcrum.

4. In a device for determining the ratio of two unknown forces, in combination, a lever to which said forces may be applied, a fulcrum for said lever mounted on and movable along a base parallel to said lever, means for counterbalancingthe weight of said lever to relieve said fulcrum of all forces exclusive of the two forces to be compared, and means for moving said fulcrum along the base and indicating the ratio of the lengths of the arms of said lever.

5. In a device of the class described, ,in combination, a load receiving platform, a separate 1ever system for supporting each end of the platform, a floating lever connecting said lever systems, a base parallel to said floating lever, a fulcrum stand mounted on and movable along said base for transmitting forces from said floating lever to said base, counterbalancing means for each of said lever systems for relieving said fulcrum stand of all forces exclusive of those produced by a load on the platform, means for moving said fulcrum stand to vary the lengths of the arms of said floating lever, and a weighing scale supporting said base for indicating the force applied to said fulcrum stand.

6. In a device for indicating the s-um and the ratio of two forces, in combination, a lever, pivotal means spaced apart along the length of the lever for applying the forces to the lever, means for counterbalancing the weight of the lever, said counterbalancing means allowing free translatory and rotary movement of the lever, a fulcrum for said lever movable along its length, weighing means supporting said fulcrum, and means for moving said fulcrum along said lever to vary the rato of the lengths of the arms of Said lever to maintain said lever in equilibrium.

'7. In a device for indicating the sum and the ratio of two forces, in combination, a lever, pivotal means spaced apart along the length of the lever for applying the forces to the lever, a lever system and counterweights for supporting the Weight of the lever, a fulcrum for said lever, automatic means for moving said fulcrum along the length vof the lever in response to an unbalanced force tending to rotate said lever about said fulcrum, means for indicating the ratio of the arms of the lever, and means for indicating the force exerted by the lever against the fulcrum.

8. In a device for indicating the sum and the ratio of two forces, in combination, a lever, pivotal means spaced apart along the length of the lever for applying the forces to the lever, a lever system and countervveights for supporting the weight of the lever, a fulcrum for said lever, automatic means for moving said fulcrum along the length of the lever to vary the arms of the lever until the moments of the forces tending to rotate said lever are balanced, means for indieating the ratio of the arms of said lever and a weighing scale for supporting said fulcrum and indicating the force applied thereto by said lever.

I-IALVOR O. HEM. 

